Power transmission mechanism



June 27, 1944. L 2,352,270

POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed M 1, 1942 j r QMWN F v 4mm 0 a 7 mm m 0L Q g Q. m XNX xv .mwvw Hm M MN 3w a \\W N 1Q. WM

June 27, 1944. H. A. LAND EI'AL 2,352,270

POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed Aug. 1, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MQWPatented June 27, 1944 POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Harry A. Land,Chicago, and Alexander F. Booksruker, Berwy 111-,

assirnors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of NewJersey Application August 1, 1942, Serial No. 453,176

9 Claims. (01. 74-11) This invention relates to a power transmissionmechanism and more particularly to a power take-off attachment forvehicles and the like.

It is common in industrial and agricultural vehicles to provide powertransmission means in the form of a power take-off shaft or the like forthe driving of auxiliaries used with the vehicies. Such construction isparticularly important in agricultural tractors. In the usual tractorthere is provideda rear power take-off shaft, and in most cases there isalso provided a separate shaft on which is mounted a belt pulley for usein the driving of equipment adapted to be belt driven. The powertake-off shaft and belt pulley shaft are not connected in any manner andare usually operable separately. In certain types of tractors, however,no provision is made for a belt pulley, and if such power transmissionmeans is desired, it is necessary to provide the same as an attachmentto be driven by the standard power take-off shaft. Although suchattachments serve the purpose for which they are intended, they have thedisadvantage that the power take-off is no longer accessible forseparate operation,

'since it must serve to operate the pulley attachment. In many cases itis desirable to use the tractor alternatively with equipment requiringeither the power take-off shaft as suchor the belt pulley, and in a fewinstances it is desirable to have both power sources available. It hastherefore become quite a problem to provide a tractor with suitablepower take-oil means, inasmuch as the use of one take-off shaft deprivesthe operator of the simultaneous or easily attained use of a secondshaft.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a powertransmission mechanism comprising a unit attachment having a pair ofpower output shafts, both of which are available for immediate use.

An important object of the invention is to provide the mechanism as aunit which may be readily attached to and driven from the original powertake-off of a conventional type tractor.

Another object is to provide a simple form of control means foractuating clutches so that either of the shafts provided in the unit maybe operated at the will of the vehicle operator.

Another object is to provide interlocking means in the control system sothat both power shafts cannot be operated simultaneously, provisionbeing made, however, for releasing the interlocking means so that bothshafts can be operated simultaneously, if desired.

Another object is to provide a simplified gearing and clutch arrangementwhereby the attachment is provided as a compact unit readily attached toan ordinary structure without inconveniencing the general tractorstructure.

These and other desirable objects of the invention will become apparentas the disclosure is more fully made in the following detaileddescription and accompanying sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred form of thepower transmission attachment;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of a preferred form of controlsystem for operating the clutches of the transmission mechanism; and

Figure 3 is an end view partly in section of the structure shown inFigure 2'.

As shown in Figure 1, numeral l0 indicates the rear portion of a vehiclesuch as a tractor of conventional construction. The rear wall of thisbody portion of the vehicle is shown as being provided with an openingI! through which access may be had to a power or driving shaft l2. Thisshaft may :be driven in any suitable manner from the tractortransmission (not shown) and may in fact constitute the power take-offshaft provided on the tractor as original equipment.

The improved power take-off unit comprises a unitary housing structure,generally indicated at l3, preferably comprising a first housing ll,provided with a cover plate l5, and a second housing 15. The housing I4is provided at one end with a transverse flange I! which is adapted tobe secured to the rear wall of the body portion ll! of the vehicle as bya plurality of cap screws l8, only one of which is shown. The housing Itincludes a transverse wall l9 generally paralleling the plate l5, andthis wall and plate are apertured in longitudinal alinement with thedriving shaft l2 of the tractor. A driving shaft 20 is journaled inantifriction bearings 2| in the walls l5 and I9 and is connected byacoupling 22 to the tractor power shaft I2. The portion of the shaft 20between the bearings 21 is splined, as at 23, and carries for rotationtherewith and shifting thereon a clutch element in the form of a gear24.

The housing It carries an idler shaft 25 paralleling the shaft 20 andjournaling a double izdler gear 26 consisting of a gear 21 and a gear Athird shaft 29, hereinafter referred to as a driven shaft, is journaledin the housing It and parallels the shafts 20 and 25. This shaft carriesfor rotation therewith a gear 30 in constant mesh with the gear 28 onthe gear element 26.

As will hereinafter appear, the shaft 29 is driven for connection todrive auxiliary implements or f other equipment. vThe arrangement of theidler gearelement 26.is such that the rotation of the shaft 29 is thesame as that of the shaft 20.

The housing part I6 is rigidly but detachably secured to the cover plateor wall l5, and for all practical purposes the parts l4, l5, and I6 maybe considered as forming part of a, single unit, inasmuch as the entireattachment may be easily detached from the tractor body by the removalof the bolts or cap screws l8. The housing I6 is generally cylindricalin shape and is formed as a sleeve provided with a pair oflongitudinally spaced antifriction bearings 32 which serve to journal ashaft 33. This shaft extends externally from the rear end of the housingl6 and has keyed or otherwise mounted thereon a pulley 34 adapted foruse with a belt, in the usual manner. It will be understood, of course,that the pulley may be removed, and the end of the shaft used as anordinary power take-off shaft. However, under many circumstances it isdesired to have available the belt pulley 34 and the first powertake-oil shaft 3|.

The rear end of the driving shaft 28, previously described, is splinedas at 35 and serves to mount for axial shifting thereon a gear clutchelement 36. This element forms part of a disconnectable drivin meanscooperable with an internal gear or clutch element 31 keyed to theproximate end of the shaft 33. As will hereinafter be described ingreater detail, the gear element 36 is engageable with the gear element31 so that the shafts 33 and 28 may be coupled together. Since theseshafts are coaxial, their direction of rotation will be the same; andthe rotation will be the same as that of the first power take-off shaft3|.

For the purpose of operating the shiftable elements of the pair ofdisconnectable driving means comprising the parts 24 and 21 and 36 and37, there is provided a novel control means. As best shown in Figure 1,the housing structure |3 carries a, pair of parallel rock-shafts 38 and39 in proximity to the gear or clutch elements .24 and 36, respectively.The shaft 38 carries a shiftable yoke 48 engageable in the conventionalmanner with an annular groove in the gear element 24. The rock-shaft 39carries a yoke 4| similarly associated with the gear element 36.

Experience has shown that it is desirable to operate the power take-offshafts, here the shafts 3| and 33, independently of each other; that is,it is not very often that simultaneous use of the shafts is required. Itis therefore desirable that the control means for the disconnectabledriving means between the shafts 28 and 29 and 33 be cooperable forselective operation. According to the present invention, such controlsystem is provided.

As best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rockshaft 38 extendsoutside thehousing structure l3 and carries rigidly thereon an operating arm 42.The rock-shaft 39 is similarly provided with an arm 43. These arms areconnected by two links 44 and 45, each of which is pivoted at one end toone of the arms. The links converge upwardly and their free ends arepivoted together and to an operating member 46 by means of a pin 41. Theoperating member 46 may be suitably connected to any type of controllever, not shown.

39. The rock-shaft 38 carries rigidly thereon a locking member 58. Asbest shown in Figure 3, this member may be an integral part of theelement forming the arm 42. The rock-shaft 38 is provided with a lockingmember 6| similarly associated with the arm 43. Thus far it will be seenthat rocking of the shafts 38 and 39 is effected through operation ofthe control member 45, links 44 and 45, and arms 42 and 43. Aspreviously stated, however, it is desirable that simultaneous rocking ofthe rock-shafts be prevented. To that end the members 58 and 5| areprovided with locking portions, to'be presently described.

As best shown in Figure 2, the locking members 58 and 5| extend towardeach other and have their proximate ends closely adjacent each other anddisposed below the outwardly projecting portion of the stop member 48.The locking member 58 is provided with a pair of curved surfaces 52 and53, and the member 5| is provided with a pair of similar surfaces 54 and55. The surface 53 on the member 58 is arcuate and is formed about aradius having the axis of the rock-shaft 38 as its center. The surface54 on the member 5| is arcuate and is formed on the same radius. Asimilar relationship exists between the surfaces 52 and 55 of themembers 58 and 5|, respectively; that is, these surfaces are botharcuate and are bothformed about the axis of the rock-shaft 39 as acenter.

The operation of the control means is as follows: As indicated in brokenlines in Figure 2, the rock-shaft 38 has been rocked in acounter-clockwise direction, thus effecting an engagement between thegear or clutch elements 24 and 2.'. Accordingly, the power take-offshaft 3| will be driven. The rock-shaft 39 remains in a neutralposition, with the gear elements 36 and 3! disengageged. Hence, theshaft 33 will not be rotated. When the rock-shaft 38 is rotated, as justindicated, the member 58 swings downwardly, and the arcuate surface 53thereon becomes disposed below the intersection between the surfaces 54and 55 on the member 5|. It will thus be seen that it is now impossiblefor the member 5| to move downwardly, since the surface 53 on the member58 serves as a stop or an abutment in its contemplated path of movement.The member 5| is prevented from moving in a countar-clockwise directionby the stop member 48. Accordingly, the rock-shaft 39 cannot be rockedwhile the rock-shaft 38 is disposed in a position in which the gear orclutch parts 24 and 21 are engaged. The rock-shaft 38, after beingrestored to neutral position, ma be similarly locked against movement byrocking of the rock-shaft 39 in a clockwise direction, with theresultant disposition of the member 5| as a locking member in thepossible path of movement of the member 58. It will be noted that thestop member 43 serves the double function of locking both members 5'8and5| against movement upwardly. This provision is important from thestandpoint of operation of the control means, as will presently appear.

The functioning of the control system is made possible by the provisionof the stop member 48 and the interconnecting of the arms 42 and 43 bythe links 44 and 45. For example, the control member 46, when moved tothe right as viewed in Figure 2, exerts an upward force on the link.However, the stop 48 limits further upward movement of the member 5|with the result that continued movement of the member 4 to the righttransfers its force downwardly rock the rock-shaft 39, the controlmember 46 is moved to the left. The upward force exerted on the link 44is transferred to a downward force on the link 45, with the result thatthe rockshaft 38 is rotated in a clockwise direction. It will beunderstood, of course, that when either of the rock-shafts 38 and 38 isin such a position that its corresponding clutch or gear means isengaged, return of the control toward its central position restores theengaged driving means to neutral or disengaged position so that theparts assume the positions illustrated in full lines in Figure 2.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that there has beenprovided a unitary. power transmission attachment characterized by a.pair of power output or power take-off shafts, and that this attachmentmay be readily mounted on and used with a conventional type of vehiclefor the purpose ofproviding a pair of selectively usable power take-offshafts. This arrangement eliminates the prior disadvantage of providinga special attachment for connection to the regular power take-oil shaftof the tractor, which prior construction, as previously stated, resultedin the elimination of the power take-on shaft through the use of thebelt pulley. According to the present construction, both types of powershafts are immediately available. Other features and advantages of theinvention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

It will be understood, of course,'that the foregoing description andaccompanying drawings relate to only a preferred embodiment of theinvention and that numerous modifications and alterations may be madetherein without departing from-the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

.1. For a vehicle having a power source: an attachment unit providing apair of power take-oil connections, comprising a housing adapted to besecured to the vehicle, a driving shaft journaled in and substantiallyentirely enclosed by the housing and having a portion adapted forconnection to the vehicle power source, a first driven shaft arrangedcoaxially with the driving shaft and journaled and enclosed in thehousing, said shaft including a power take-off portion externally of thehousing providing a first power take-off connection, disengageabledriving means between the shafts including a pair of drive elementsrespectively on the shafts, a second driven shaft spaced from the firstdriven shaft and journaled and enclosed in the housing, said shafthaving a power take-off portion externally of the housing, disengageabledriving means between the driving shaft and the second driven shaft,control means for both disengageable driving means, and said controlmeans including a single control lever manipulatable to selectivelyengage and disengage the disengageable driving means.

2. For a vehicle having a power source: an attachment unit providing apair of power take oil? connections, comprising a housing adapted to besecured to the vehicle, a driving shaft journaled in and substantiallyentirely enclosed by the housing and having a portion adapted forconnection to the vehicle power source, a first driven shaft arrangedcoaxially with the driving shaft and journaled and enclosed in thehousing, said shaft including a power talre-ofl' portion externally ofthe housing providing a first power take-oi! connection, disengageabledriving means between the shafts including a pair of drive elementsrespectively on the shafts, a second driven shaft spaced from the firstdriven shaft and journaled and enclosed in the housing, said shafthaving a power take-off portion externally of the housing, disengageabledriving means between the driving shaft and the second driven shaft, apair of operating members respectively connected to the disengageabledriving means and actuatable to engage and to disengage the same, asingle control means for selectively actuating said members, and meansinterlocking said members to prevent simultaneous operation thereof bythe control means.

3. For a vehicle having a power source: an attachment unit providing apair of power takeon connections, comprising a first housing adapted tobe detachably secured to the vehicle, a driving shaft journaled in saidhousing and ineluding-means adapted for connection to the vehicle powersource and having one end extending from the housing, a second housingdetachably secured to the first housing and enclosing said end of thedriving shaft, a first power takeoff shaft journaled and enclosed in thesecond housing and disposed coaxially of the driving shaft,disengageable driving means between said shafts, a second power take-offshaft journaled in the first housing, and disengageable driving meansbetween the driving shaft and said second power take-off shaft.

4. For a vehicle having a power source: an attachment unit providing apair of power takeoff connections, comprising a first housing adapted tobe detachably secured to the vehicle, a driving element journaled insaidhousing and including means adapted for connection to the vehicle powersource and having a portion extending from the housing, a second housingdetaohably secured to the first housing and enclosing said portion ofthe driving element, a first power take-oil member journaled andenclosed in the second housing, disengageable driving means between saiddriving element and power take-off member, a second power take-offmember journaled in one of the housings, and disengageable driving meansbetween the driving element and said second power take-off member.

5. For a vehicle having a power source: an attachment unit providing apair of power takeoff connections, comprising a first housing adapted tobe detachably secured to'the vehicle,

a driving shaft journaled in said housing and having its opposite endsprojecting at opposite sides of said housing, one of said ends beingadapted at one side of the housing for connection to the vehicle powersource, a second housing detachably secured to the other side of thefirst housing and enclosing the second end of the driving shaft, a firstpower take-oil shaft journaled in the second housing and disposedcoaxially of the drivingshaft with the adjacent ends of said shaftsspaced apart, disengageable clutch means including clutch elementsonsaid shaft ends and of which one is axially shiftable to effect theengagement and disengagement of said clutch means, a second powertake-off shaft journaled in the first housing and paralleling thedriving shaft, disengageable driving means between the driving shaft andthe second power take-off shaft and including an element shiftsides ofsaid housing, one of said ends being adapted at one side of the housingfor connection to the vehicle power source, a driven shaft journaled inthe housing and paralleling the driving shaft and having a portiondisposed outside .the housing to provide a power take-off connection,disconnectable driving means between said shafts, said driving meansincluding a rotatable idler member providing for rotation of said shaftsin the same direction and a driving element rotatable coaxially withsaid driving shaft for transmitting driving force to said idler memberand shiftable axially to establish connection or disconnection of saiddriving means, a second housing secured to the first housing andenclosing only the second projecting end of the driving shaft, a seconddriven shaft journaled in said second housing and disposed coaxially ofthe driving shaft and having an external portion providing a powertake-off connection, disconnectable clutch means between said drivingshaft and said second driven shaft for rotation of said shafts in thesame direction,

said clutch means including an element shiftable axially to establishconnection or disconnection of said clutch means, a pair of operatingmembers respectively connected with said axially shiftable elements andactuatable to selectively shift the same for selectively connecting saidclutch means and said driving means, a single control member connectedwith said operating members for so actuating the same, and locking meansoperable coordinately withthe operation of said control member topreclude actuation of either operating member for establishing itsrespective connection while the connection of the other is established.

'1. For a vehicle having a power source: an attachment unit providing apair of power takeoff connections, comprising a support adapted to besecured to the vehicle; a driving shaft journaled in said support andhaving one end adapted for connection to the vehicle power source; aclutch element at the other end of said shaft;

- a parallel first power take-off shaft journaled in said support;disconnectable driving means, independently of the aforesaid clutchelement, between said shafts, said'driving means including a rotatableidler element providing for rotation of said shafts in the samedirection and a driving element rotatable coaxially with said drivingshaft for transmitting driving force to said idler member and shiftableaxially to establish connection or disconnection of said driving means;a second support detachably secured to the first support; a second powertake-01f shaft journaled in the second support; and a seconddisconnectable driving means between the driving shaft and the secondpower take-off shaft for rotation of said shafts in the same direction,including a clutch element complementary to the aforesaid clutchelement, and one of said clutch elements being axially shiftable in thedirection of shift of said driving element to effect the connection ordisconnection of said clutch means.

8. For a vehicle having a power source: an attachment unit providing apair of power takeoff connections, comprising a housing adapted to besecured to the vehicle, a driving shaft Journaled in and substantiallyentirely enclosed by the housing and having a portion adapted forconnection to the vehicle power source, a first driven shaft journaledin and enclosed by the housing and having an external portion providinga first power take-oi! connection, a second driven shaft journaled inand enclosed by the housing and having an external portion providing asecond power take-off connection, a pair of disengageable driving meansrespectively between the driving shaft and the first and second drivenshafts and manipulatable to selectively establish or disengage the samefrom driving relation between the driving shaft and their respectivedriven shafts, and a single control member operably associated with bothof said driving means for the aforesaid manipulation thereof.

9. For a vehicle having a power source: an attachment unit providing apair of power takeoff connections, comprising a casing support adaptedto be secured to the vehicle; a driving shaft journaled in said supportand having one end adapted for connection to the vehicle power source; aclutch element at the other end of said shaft; a parallel first powertake-off shaft Journaled in said support; disconnectable driving means,independently of the aforesaid clutch element, between said shafts, saiddriving means including a rotatable idler element providing for rotationof said shafts in the same direction and a driving element rotatablecoaxially with said driving shaft for transmitting driving force to saididler member and shiftable axially to establish connection ordisconnection of said driving means; a second casing support detachablysecured to the first support; a second power takeoff shaft journaled inthe second support; a second disconnectable driving means between thedriving shaft and the second power take-oi! shaft for rotation of saidshafts in the same direction; including a clutch element complementaryto the aforesaid clutch element, one of said clutch elements beingaxially shiftable in parallelism with the direction of shift of saiddriving element to eifect the connection or disconnection of said clutchmeans; means for shifting said shiftable driving element and saidshiftable clutch element comprising a pair of arms rockable aboutparallel axes directed transversely of the direction in which saidelements are shiftable, said arms being connected with said elements andoperable, when rocked in opposite directions, to shift such elements inrespective opposite directions, a pair of links pivotally interconnectedand pivotally connected respectively to the arms, stop means forlimiting rocking of one arm in one direction, stop means for limitingrocking movement of the other arm in one direction, and control meansincluding a member pivotally connected to the interconnected ends of thelinks and having movement in a plane transverse of the pivot axes ofsaid rock arms for rocking one arm against its stop means and the otherarm away from its stop means.

HARRY A. LAND. ALEXANDER F. BOCKSRUKER.

